Bill Clinton predicted Abdul El-Sayed could enter politics in 2007, but he laughed it off. 20 years later, he makes history as first Muslim US Senator

Nearly two decades before Abdul El-Sayed made history in American politics, he had a conversation with former US President Bill Clinton that hinted at a career he had never seriously considered. When Clinton suggested that the young University of Michigan graduate could run for public office one day, El-Sayed laughed at the idea. He believed his name alone could make a political career difficult.

The incident, recalled by El-Sayed in an interview with TIME in May, has taken on a different significance following his victory in Michigan's US Senate race. The progressive Democrat defeated Republican Mike Rogers, becoming the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate.

Abdul El-Sayed's conversation with Bill Clinton

The conversation took place in 2007, when El-Sayed delivered a student commencement address at the University of Michigan. Clinton was also present at the ceremony and spoke with the young graduate afterwards.


According to El-Sayed's recollection to TIME, Clinton suggested that he consider running for public office someday. The idea appeared so unlikely to El-Sayed that he responded with laughter.

“I don’t know if you saw my name,” he recalled telling Clinton. “It’s not going to work out for me.”

At the time, El-Sayed did not appear to see himself entering electoral politics. Almost 20 years later, however, he has won a seat in the US Senate.

From medical training to a career in public health

Born and raised in suburban Detroit, El-Sayed is the son of Egyptian immigrants. Academics wise, he has studied in the University of Michigan and the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. He also earned a medical degree from Columbia University.

Instead of pursuing a conventional career as a doctor, he moved into public health and academia. He worked as an assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia before taking up leadership responsibilities in Detroit and Wayne County.

His first major attempt at electoral politics came in 2018, when he ran for governor of Michigan. Although unsuccessful, the campaign brought him attention within progressive Democratic circles.

Abdul El-Sayed's Senate campaign

El-Sayed's Senate campaign had focused on universal healthcare, higher taxes on wealthy Americans and reducing the influence of corporate money in politics. He also came out as one of the Democratic Party's most outspoken critics of Israel and US military assistance to the country.

All of this attracted strong support from progressive voters for him but also led to disagreements within the Democratic Party.

The contest became even more complicated after his former Democratic primary opponent, Representative Haley Stevens, endorsed Rogers shortly before election day.

Despite the controversies, El-Sayed secured victory in a closely contested Michigan race, retaining the Senate seat for Democrats.